Checking device



Nov 2, 1937. J. T. MACKAY ET AL CHECKING DEVICE Filed NOV. 29, 1933 ,5 a m I 1 I w E N a, R 5 E\.C .O 2 6 I WT T 1 A 0Q KHV/ I]?! B Patented Nov. 2, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CHECKING DEVICE Application November 29, 1933, Serial No. 700,294

4 Claims.

This invention relates to checking or counting devices of the type used in loading trucks, freight cars and the like, to count the loads carried by the workmen by automatically counting the men 5 as they pass to or from the vehicle being loaded.

Prior devices of this character have had their limitations in their failure to register accurately, which has sometimes necessitated a manual recounting of the entire carload, and in their failure to keep in adjustment under the hard usage to which they are subjected around wharfs and freight stations. We have found that these disadvantages can be overcome by a construction wherein the actuating element which is engaged by the workman in passing, has a short path of travel and is connected to the register or counter by novel spring linkage to cushion the same against the shock of actuation.

As wharf space is at a premium, it is desirable 20 that such checking devices occupy the smallest amount of space possible when in use and as will appear, a device constructed as herein described combines that feature with a further adaptability to fold into a flat compact form when not in use, whereby it can be easily carried from place to place on the dock and can be stacked away in piles occupying a small space,-these advantages being secured without sacrifice to the essential' requirements of sturdiness of construction and accuracy of registration.

These and further objects will appear from a detailed description of our device and will be pointed out more in detail hereinafter. In the drawing:

Fig. l is a perspective view showing the checking device in use;

Fig. 2 is a perspective View showing the device folded to be' stacked away;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the device erected and ready for use with treadle in raised position;

i Fig. 4 is an elevation view of the device partly in section;

Fig. 5 is a sectional elevation view taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 4; and

Fig. 6 is a detail elevation view of the clock supporting hooks;

As indicated in the drawing, the device consists in general of a heavy metal frame I completely enclosing a treadle 2. The frame I may bev constructed from an angle iron comprising an outer flange 3 and a bottom flange 4 (Fig. 4), the angle iron being bent at three corners and welded together to form the closing fourth corner. At each of the corners the lower flange 4 is cut out in a V-shape to permit such bending and after the corners have been formed the closing edges of the bottom flange 4 are welded together at each corner.

The treadle 2 is of sturdy construction and comprises a number of thick oak boards 5 which are secured together, to form the treadle. by a pair of steel plates 6 to which the boards 5 are bolted, as indicated. The treadle as thus constructed is of a size and shape to be received in and completely enclosed by the surrounding heavy metal frame I and is secured thereto at one edge by a pair of hinges l0, each of which has its lower leaf riveted to the bottom flange 4 of the frame and its upper leaf secured to the end of one of the steel plates 6.

In our preferred embodiment, we provide a pair of hinged standards l2 and ii! for the purpose chiefly of supporting the register, one of the standards being on each side of the treadle as indicated in the drawing. Each of these standards may suitably comprise a cylindrical tube or pipe of a length approximately as indicated in the drawing, and terminating at its upper extremity in a T-shaped handle I9, which is preferably constructed of cylindrical tubing screwed over the end of the upright standard and having a number of circular ribs l8 disposed as indicated for a purpose to be described. The standard is pivoted at its lower extremity to the frame by means of a stub steel pin l5 secured to the upright flanges l6 of a pair of angle irons whose lower horizontal flanges are riveted to the lower flange 40f the frame. For a purpose to be described, the standards l2 and I3 are mounted on the opposite sides of the frame in the position indicated in Fig. 3, wherein the standard l3 on one side of the device is disposed at approximately one third the distance from the hinged end of the treadle and the standard I 2, on the opposite side of the frame, is disposed at approximately two thirds the distance from the hinged edge of the treadle.

To look the standards firmly in their upright position, we provide within the pipe casing a plunger running substantially the full length of the standard and terminating in a nose 2| which is received by a hole 22 (Fig. 4) drilled in the lower flange 4 of the frame I. The plunger 20' is spring pressed downwardly by means of the compression spring 22 seated on the upper end of the plunger 20 and positioned by a reduced extension 23 on the plunger which the spring encircles. The reduced end extension 23 of the plunger passes freely through a hole 24 in the top of the handle 19 and the compression spring 22 abuts the handle, as indicated. For-the purpose oi retracting the nose 2| of the plunger 7 out of the hole 22 to fold the standards, we provide a handle 25 secured through the upper portion of the plunger 29, extending'parallel with the handle E9 of the standard and passing freely through aligned elongated slots 26 on opposite sides of the tubular standard. The lower portion of the plunger 20, adjacent the nose 2|, may also be slotted, as indicated at 26, to receive the steel pin is, the slot being elongated to permit freedom of longitudinal motion of the plunger 25. tion of the plunger can be eliminated by the expedient of replacing the steel pin 15, passing completely through the standard and plunger, by a pair of stub'pins which are welded to opposite sides of the standard and do not pass through the plunger.

The standards 52. and I3 are both constructed in the manner above described.- The purpose of the hinged construction is to-enable the stand ards to fold lat acrossfthe treadle 2, lying in opposite directions as indicated in Fig. 2. The oak boards 5 forming the bearing surface of the treadle maybe recessed or suitably spaced from each other to receive and countersink the'standdescribed for securing thestandards in upright positions pair of holes 3! drilled in the upper flange 3' of theirame and adapted to receive the noses 2i of the spring pressed plungers 20. As

- will appear, the treadle is yieldingly held in its open 'positionor" Fig. 3 by means such as a spring connected with the counting mechanism and it willlbe observed in Fig. 2 that when the register with its spring mechanism is removed from the device'the treadle 2 lies in its-:closed position,

' completely surrounded by the'frame i and the treadle is secured in that position by the superimposed position of thejs'tandards l2 and I3, locked in folded position. a

The register G8 which is used for counting the depressions ofthe treadle: by the tread of the workman, may suitably comprise any of the well known types of register commonly used on street cars. To a register, of that type, we secure a pair of strips of sheet metal 4! (Fig. 6) bent over at their, upper extremities to form a pair of hooks 62 by which the register is supported on the handle is of either standard, the register abutting the standard and being positioned longitudinally of. the handle is by means of the aforesaid circular ribs 58;

Such registers are provided with actuating means which commonly comprise a bell crank 'lever i l pivoted as at 4 5 to the frame of'the is connected to the treadle- 2 by means of a link 5i having a heavy spring 52 for a purpose to'be' If desired, of course, this slotted construe described. The lower end of the link 5| is provided with a hook which engages a slot 53 provided in a bar 5% which extends transversely of the treadle 2 approximately midway of its length and, upon depression of the treadle, is received in slots 58 in the frame. As has been noted, a register 46 can be supported on either of the standards I? or it and the bar 54 is in midposition on the treadle 2 so that not only is accurate registry effected regardless of the point of impact of the foot of the workman, but further so that that bar can connect the link 5| of the register regardless of on which standard the register is positioned. The bar 54 is therefore provided with a slot 53 at both ends.

The retraction of the treadle 2 from its closed position of'Fig. l to its open position of Fig. 3 is effected by upward motion of the link 5!. As there is a fairly substantial weight to be lifted due to the sturdy construction of the treadle 2, we provide the register with an auxiliary heavy tension spring 68 in addition to the retracting spring 56 commonly provided in such registers. The Spring 6:? is secured at its upper end to a pin in the framework of the register and'at its lower end is secured through one of a number of holes 58 in the arm 4! of the bell crank 44 and a hole in the top of link 5i. r

The spring 52 which, as above noted, is included in the. linkage 5i is provided for'the purpose of cushioning the register mechanism against the shock incident both to the depression and retraction of the treadle 2. This spring 52'is preferably h avier than the spring 69 combined with spring 53 so that upon depression of the treadle 2' the spring 52 will undergo no extension in the first instance-but will act merely as a rigid link member. After the counter has registered, however, rotation of the bell crank 44 is impeded by engagement of the arm 41 with the register casing as shown in Fig. 1, or with any suitable stop" and any further depression of the treadle 2 (as limited by the rubber bumpers 59) acts to extend the spring 52. Upon retraction of the treadle ,2, the spring 52 acts as a compression member to yield and bend slightly when the treadle reaches the upper limit of its retracting stroke and thereby a large portion of the rotational thrust of the treadle 2 is absorbed and shock to the register mechanism materially reduced. a

From the above'description it is believed that the mode of operation, as well as the advantages secured over similar devices known heretofore, is apparent. Thus the sturdiness of. construction which is contributed to by the oak treadle secured together by steel plates and completely surrounded by a heavy metal framework is most effective in providing a treadle which may be roughly transported from place toplace by the workmen without getting out of adjustment. The short throw of the treadle, combined with the cushioned linkage'eliminates the inaccuracy of registration inherent in prior devices of a similar nature. The construction of the pivoted standards and the manner of disposingthem diagonally opposite each other on the frame have a number of advantages, among whichare that they guide the workman to thecentral portion of the treadle (although treading on'the center of the treadle is not required for efiicient operation) and they aiford means for supporting a register at either side of the treadle whereby when a large number of treadles are used on a dock, a supervisor may stand in the center of the treadles and the registers on the treadles at either side of him may be disposed so that the registering faces are faced in his direction. In folded position the uprights by the locking construction secure the treadle in closed position and the folded shape of the treadle device is flat and compact so that a large number of them may be stacked away in a very small space when not in us. The handles I!) afford means not only for supporting the register when the device is being used, but they also provide means by which the device can be carried when folded.

Obviously our device is subject to various modifications within the spirit of our invention which is not to be limited except as indicated in the appended claims. Thus one modification which has found considerable favor in the art is one in which the register and treadle mechanism is associated with a step platform of the type commonly used as an adjunct to loading trucks. Under such construction, the collapsible standard-s are eliminated and a treadle constructed in a manner similar to the treadle 2 replaces one of the steps leading down from the truck, the treadle being connected by spring linkage to a register having hooks by which the register can be secured to suitable cross bars in the frame of the platform.

We claim:

1. Ina checking device, the combination of a treadle, a frame for supporting the treadle, means for movably mounting the treadle on the frame, a. standard pivoted to the frame in proximity to the treadle and adapted to swing from an upright erected position to an approximately horizontal folded position adjacent the tread surface of the treadle,.a recess in said tread surface adapted to receive and countersink the standard in folded position, means for locking the standard selectively in its upright or folded positions, a register, means on the standard for detachably supporting the register, and means for removably and actuatingly connecting said register to the treadle.

2. In a checking device, a frame, a treadle movably mounted on the frame and adapted to be depressed to a position contiguous to the frame, a standard, means pivotally mounting the standard on the frame for movement selectively to upright position or to folded position adjacent the tread surface of the treadle when in said depressed position and means for locking the standard in upright position or selectively in folded position to lock the depressed treadle.

3. In a checking device for use with a counting register, the combination of a depressible treadle, a frame movably supporting the treadle and adapted to enclose the treadle when in depressed position, a standard for supporting the register, pivoted to the frame in proximity to the treadle and adapted to swing from an upright position to a folded position adjacent the tread surface of the treadle when the treadle is depressed, and means for locking the standard in folded position whereby to hold the treadle in depressed position within the frame when not in use.

4. In a checking device for use with a counting register, the combination of a depressible treadle, a frame, means pivotally supporting the treadle on the frame, a pair of standards pivoted to opposite sides of the frame, in proximity to the treadle, each standard being mounted to swing from an upright position to a folded position adjacent the tread surface of the treadle when the latter is depressed, means for locking the standards selectively in their upright or folded positions, a register, means for supporting the said register on either standard and means for selectively connecting the register to the treadle when the register is supported on either standard, the said connecting means being adapted to actuate the register upon depression of the treadle.

JOSEPH T. MACKAY. HAVILAND C. AMES. 

